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The 2018 Georgia General Assembly proved to be an overall successful one for the state’s tourism and hospitality sector, according to industry experts who recapped the legislative session on Tuesday during a panel discussion at the Georgia Hotel & Lodging Association’s Legislative Update luncheon.

Expected to have a large positive impact by providing an estimated $100 million on the food and beverage industry is Senate Bill 17, which was signed by Gov. Nathan Deal last week.​“This is a big economic driver,” Karen Bremer, CEO, Georgia Restaurant Association said of the bill, better known as ‘the brunch bill.

Mimosa lovers could be enjoying their drinks a little earlier on Sundays now that Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal has signed Senate Bill 17.

Known as the Brunch Bill, the new law signed Tuesday gives local municipalities that already have Sunday alcohol sales the option to decide through a ballot referendum if they would like to roll back Sunday on-premise consumption sale hours from 12:30 p.m. to 11 a.m.

Communities who do not currently allow Sunday alcohol sales will be required to have two ballot referendums. One to vote Yes or No to implement Sunday sales and another to decide if their local time will be 11 a.m. or remain 12:30 p.m.

In order for the referendum to appear on the November ballot a resolution or ordinance needs to be passed by city and or county governments by July 31. Reached for comment after the signing, Savannah Mayor Eddie DeLoach’s Chief of Staff Martin Sullivan said the mayor is in support of giving the citizens the option to vote and looks forward to having discussions with council in the coming weeks.

Karen Bremer, CEO of the Georgia Restaurant Association, said the passage of SB 17 will help level the playing field with state-owned facilities and private clubs who are already allowed to serve before 12:30 p.m. as well as increase the state’s economic competitive advantage with other states that can already sell before 12:30 p.m.

“Passing a brunch bill would have a huge economic impact on the restaurant industry and the state of Georgia,” she said.

“More food and beverage sales equal more tax revenue for the state of Georgia and more jobs.”

Brian Huskey with the Gaslight Group, which owns several spots around Savannah, including b. Matthews’s eatery, The 5 Spot, Blowin’ Smoke and East End Provisions, said the changes would be significant to his restaurant group.“Three out of five of our locations will be directly impacted and we’re excited about it,” Huskey said.

While it’s a little early to know exactly how much extra revenue this could bring to restaurants, the GRA estimates it would generate an extra $25,000 a year, which is an extra $480.77 on Sundays.

“Multiply (the Sunday amount) by three or four and it’s really significant. Especially in times when we’re trying to scrape and strive for extra revenue,” Huskey said.

Bremer said there are about 4,000 restaurants in Georgia that could benefit, which could yield a total of $100 million extra in revenue and at 11 percent total taxes, $11 million more in taxes.

“By having the world’s busiest airport and hosting large-scale events including the 2019 Super Bowl and potentially the World Cup, we are now on par with other cities to host and provide social opportunities for out-of-town guests,” she said.

Aside from monetary benefits Huskey said the changes will also help out his staff in other ways on Sundays.​“A lot of people, especially downtown with bachelorette parties, girl’s weekends and just visitors in general, come to town and might have brunch or breakfast on Saturday and are able to get a mimosa or screwdriver, but then they come in on Sunday and they can’t. They sometimes get upset with us, but this is the law, so it’ll take a little pressure off the staff, too,” he said.

The city of Savannah expects to have a new set of liquor laws by summer. For local bars and restaurants, the hope is that means fewer hassles and lower fees. ​Right now, that debate includes two public feedback sessions at the Savannah Civic Center. It's a new way of thinking that could cut down on much time spent trying to resolve alcohol license issues for business owners. Tuesday, the city continued with its public feedback sessions as officials wind down the time to finalize revisions to the alcohol ordinance.

State Rep. Meagan Hanson (R-Brookhaven) told attendees of the Sandy Springs High Point Civic Association’s March 21 annual meeting that she opposed the recently approved bill prohibiting cities restrictions on wood-frame apartments because of safety concerns and because it takes away local control.

House Bill 876, dubbed the “wood bill” at the state Capitol, according to Hanson, is now headed to Gov. Nathan Deal’s desk for his signature after it was approved in the House and then in the Senate on March 19.

Atlantans are one step closer to sipping mimosas starting at 11 a.m. on Sundays, the AJC reports. On Monday, the Georgia House voted 97-64 to pass Senate Bill 17 (SB 17). It now heads to Gov. Nathan Deal for his signature (hopefully) before the proposed law is voted on by the public.

The bill would allow restaurants to serve alcohol on Sundays beginning at 11 a.m. rather than 12:30 p.m. However, this latest version does not permit Georgia consumers to purchase alcohol before 12:30 p.m. from grocery or liquor stores.

​ATLANTA – Georgians are one step closer to being able to order a mimosa on Sunday mornings.

The state House of Representatives backed a proposal Monday that allows communities to decide whether to start popping the cork at restaurants and wineries at 11 a.m. – which is an hour and a half earlier than currently allowed in Georgia.

The measure – called the “Brunch Bill” – has already cleared the Senate, so this means it moves on now to Gov. Nathan Deal’s desk. If the governor signs the bill, local governments would have to call a referendum to allow for earlier Sunday sales.

“You are not voting to roll back Sunday sales,” Rep. Meagan Hanson, R-Brookhaven, told lawmakers Monday. “You are voting to allow your voters to decide if they want to roll back Sunday sales to begin at 11 a.m.”

Hanson said the change could pave the way for $100 million in additional sales, sending about $11 million in new tax revenue to the state and local governments. The measure has the support of the Georgia Restaurant Association and others. ​

Georgia lawmakers gave the final approval to the “brunch bill” Monday. The bill would let individual cities and counties vote on whether they want to let restaurants start serving alcohol at 11 a.m. on Sundays instead of 12:30 p.m.

The House passed the final bill but not without opposition.

State Rep. Dominic LaRiccia, R-Douglas, spoke out against the measure.

ATLANTA (CBS46) - A bill to let people drink earlier on Sundays at restaurants just passed the general assembly, but it's not a done deal.

If the governor signs the Mimosa or Brunch bill, which he's expected to, it will be put to the voters in the form of a referendum. Essentially, it allows them to decide in every municipality whether they want to extend hours of restaurant liquor sales on Sundays.

The Georgia Restaurant Association announced its 2018 Restaurant Neighbor award state winners, all five of which are based in or have locations in Cobb County. These individuals and restaurant groups have demonstrated a dedicated commitment to serving their communities through outstanding charitable service and philanthropy and will advance to the national level to compete for the grand prize of $10,000 to support their favorite charity or nonprofit.

Despite both the water outage and the water boil advisory in DeKalb, some restaurants in that county may still open doors and feed diners. The restaurants that open during the water outage are ones that must have a pre-approved water interruption plan. Restaurants in DeKalb County that are open today without a water interruption plan are in violation of health codes, said Georgia Restaurant Association CEO Karen Bremer.